Printing machine



April 11, 1939. J, HORTON PRINTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3, 1937 April 11, 1939. A. J. HORTON PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug'. 3, 193'? 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 11, 1939 PRINTING MACHINE Albert J. Horton; White Plains, N. Y., assignor to It. Hoe & 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 3, 1937, Serial No. 157,131

This invention relates to doctor blade mechanisms for printing machines and more particularly to an ink guard for use with such mechanisms to prevent ink flying from the end of a cylinder rotating in a supply of ink in a reservoir or fountain, and reaching adjacent parts or the outside of the machine.

In rotary intaglio printing machines, for instance, a printing cylinder is arranged to rotate in a supply of ink in a reservoir.

in the form of flanges areprovided, one of which overlies each end of the cylinder and extends from one side of the reservoir peripherally part way about the cylinder to a point adjacent the edge of a doctor blade, to prevent ink flying from The doctor blade is arranged to be adjusted peripherally about a portion of the cylinder and to reciprocate lengthwise along the cylinder in contact therewith. Due to the adjustments and movements required of the doctor blade, a space is required between its edge and the adjacent flange ends whereby a portion of the cylinder end will be uncovered and exposed, permitting ink to fly therefrom and to the ends of the cylinder.

reach adjacent parts or the outside chine, which is obviously undesirable. One object of this invention is to improved ink guard for a doctor blade mechanism in which the above undesirable condition is avoided.

prevent ink flying therefrom.

Afurther object is to provide an ink guard to constantly maintain the cylinder ends covered, which is reciprocated with the doctor blade, and is of such structure that adjustments and movements of the doctor blade will not be interfered with.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an ink-guard of generally improved construction, whereby the same will be simple, durable, and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and efficient in its use.

, With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds,

the invention resides in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed;

- The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, where- Figure 1 is an end view of a part intagllo printing machine, having a doctor blade 8 Claims. (Cl. 101157) mechanism embodying the features of this invention associated therewith;

Figure 2 is an enlarged endview of a part of the doctor blade mechanism and the associated parts of the printing machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a broken top plan view of the parts shown in Figure 2 looking in the direction of arrow 3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

The intaglio printingmachine parts illustrated in the drawings include an ink reservoir or fountain II in which a printing cylinder I2 is arranged to rotate, partly immersed in ink carried therein, its shaft ends l3 being rotatably supported as usual in suitable bearings in a machine frame not shown. Packing blocks I4 are provided on the reservoir ends to prevent leakage of ink around the shaft. An inlet I5 and an outlet IB is provided in the resevoir Il' whereby a desired ink level may be maintained therein. A swingable cover ll pivoted at I 8 is provided at one side, of the reservoir II. A paper web I9 is guided and pressed into contact with the cyl- Ink guards of the mainder I2 by a cylinder 2|. A suitable ink balile 22 is provided in the reservoir at its side opposite provide an the cover 11, to dislodge surplus ink from the cylinder surface and to prevent an excess of ink being, carried upwardly by the cylinder during its rotation.

A doctor blade mechanism embodying the features of this invention is provided and disposed at the side of the reservoir opposite to the cover IT. This doctor blade mechanism is carried on a by means of a dovetail tongue and groove arrangement 24, and includes a base 25 to which arms 26 are pivoted, as at 21. Suitable mechanism, not shown, but in general use, actuates the base 25 to reciprocate it, and with it the arms 26, lengthwise of the cylinder l2. A doctor blade wiping device of the kind indicated generally at 28, Figure 2) is described in detail in copending application, Serial Number 72,733, filed April 4, 1936.

The arms 26 are adapted to receive the angle portion 29 of an-upper plate 3| of a doctor blade holder. Screws 32 are provided to secure the angle portion 29 in a groove 33 provided in the upper free ends of the arms 26.' The plate 3| is somewhat longer than the cylinder l2, and a doctor blade 34 is clamped between its undercurface anda lower plate 35, by screws 36: A suitof a rotary able handle 31, shown in dotted lines in Figure 1,

standard 23 upon which it is slidably mounted, 35 I is provided to swing the arms 28 upwardly to move the doctor blade 34 away from, and its edge out of contact with the surface of the cylinder I2. There is also provided a doctor blade tension de vice indicated generally at 33 whereby the contacting tension of the blade 34 upon the cylinder I! may be accurately adjusted. Details of this portion of the mechanism are fully disclosed in copending application, Serial Number 34,518, filed August 3, 1935.

In order to prevent ink adhering to the ends of the cylinder I2 from being thrown out of the machine onto adjacent parts, end plates 33 and 4| are provided, one at each end of the cylinder l3 and which are secured to the adjacent reservoir end by screws 42. Each plate 39 and 4| is provided with a flange 43 which overlies the adjacent end of the cylinder l2 and extends from the cover I! peripherally about the cylinder I! to a point adjacent the doctor blade 34. The plates 39 and 4| continue past doctor blade 34 and into the reservoir I. A block 44, preferably of hardened steel, may be provided in the upper edge of each plate 39 and 4| in position to be engaged by the doctor blade 34 as it reciprocates, to form with the surface of the cylinder II, a substantially level surface upon which the blade may ride.

Due to the necessity for adjustment of the doctor blade 34, to properly position it upon the cylinder II, the flanges 43 must be terminated at a point spaced as at 45, from the edge of the blade 34. Thus, a space at each end of the cylinder would be uncovered at all times. The rapid rotation of the cylinder l2 would cause surplus ink to be thrown through this space 45 and deposited on adjacent machine parts or wasted, which are obviously undesirable, and therefore, to prevent this, ink guards 46 are provided.

The ink guards 46 may be formed of a strip of felt orother suitable material, such as synthetic rubber, or sheet packing, flexibility and substantial immunity from attack by ingredients of the ink used being the chief qualities necessary. One of the strips 46 is secured preferably upon each end of the upper doctor blade clamping plate 3| and extends from its end inwardly past the end of the cylinder l2. Each strip 46 is of sufficient length to constantly cover the opening between the cylinder end on which it bears and the adjacent end plate 33 or 4|, during all parts of the reciprocating movement of the blade 34. The strips 46 are of suflicient width to extend down an inclined edge 41 of the upper plate 3|, across the space 45, between the blade 34 and the respective flange 43 and bend upwardly against an inclined edge 43 of the adjacent flange 43 regardless of the adjusted position of the blade 34 as it bears against the cylinder I3. Clamping plates 48 are provided, and by means of screws 5|, securely clamp the strips 48 to the respective ends of the plates 3|. The strips 46 are preferably cut to such length that they do not reach inward from the end of the cylinder sufllciently to bear on the portion on which the printing form is etched.

By the above described construction, an improved doctor blade mechanism is provided by which the inconvenience and undesirable feature of ink being thrown from the ends of the cylinder I2 is eliminated, and no possible interference is presented to the free sliding movement of the doctor blade 34 across the surface of the cylinder l2. When adjusting the doctor blade peripherally about the cylinder, the flexible guard strips 46 either bear a greater or lesser amount upon the end of the flange 43 and constantly maintains the space 45 closed, thus preventing ink flying therethrough from the now completely covered cylinder end. Being secured to the plate 3| which in turn is secured to the swingable arms 26, the strips 46 will be swung clear of the cylinder I! when the doctor blade 34 is moved out of operating position by means of the handle 31.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and it will be further understood that each and every novel feature and combination present in or possessed by the mechanism herein disclosed forms a part of the invention included in this application.

What I claim is:

1. In a rotary intaglio printing machine, a doctor blade adapted to reciprocate longitudinally along and in contact with the peripheral surface of a printing cylinder, a flange extending over each end of the cylinder and terminating at a point spaced from the blade edge in contact with the cylinder, and an ink guard supported at each end of the blade, extending from the blade to the flange in contact with the peripheral surface of the printing cylinder therebetween,

and reciprocating with the blade.

2. In combination, a rotatable cylinder, a

. flange extending over a portion of each end of said cylinder, a doctor blade adapted to reciprocate longitudinally of the cylinder with its edge in contact with its peripheral surface, said flange terminating at a point spaced from said blade edge, and a flexible non-metallic member at each end of said blade adapted to extend from said blade to the end of said flange in contact with the peripheral surface of the cylinder therebetween and arranged to reciprocate with said blade.

3. In a rotary intaglio printing machine, a rotatable cylinder, a flange extending over a portion of each end of said cylinder, a support for each flange, a doctor blade adapted to reciprocate longitudinally along said cylinder in contact with its peripheral surface and beyond each end thereof, a wear resistant block having its upper surface in alignment with the peripheral surface of the cylinder and carried by each of said supports to form a supporting surface for each blade end as it is reciprocated beyond the cylinder end, and members reciprocating with the doctor blade and extending thereover and to each flange to prevent ink being thrown out of the fountain from the ends of the cylinder.

4. In. a rotary intaglio printing machine, a rotatable cylinder, 9. flange extending over a portion of each end of said cylinder, a support for each flange, a doctor blade adapted to reciprocate longitudinally along said cyilnder in contact with its peripheral surface, a metallic block having its upper surface in alignment with the pe ripheral surface of the cylinder and carried by each of said supports to form a supporting surface for each blade end as it is reciprocated beyond the cylinder end, and a flexible non-metallic member at each end of the blade adapted to extend from the blade edge to the end of said flange and to reciprocate with the blade.

5. In a rotary intaglio printing machine, a doctor blade adapted to reciprocate longitudinally along and in contact with the peripheralsurface of a printing cylinder, and a strip of flexible material supported at each end of the blade to reciprocate therewith and extending forwardly therefrom over the peripheral surface of the cylinder and beyond the cylinder ends.

6. In a rotary intaglio printing machine, a reciprocable doctor blade holder, a doctor blade carried by said holder to reciprocate longitudinally along and in contact with the peripheral surface of a printing cylinder, and a strip of flexible material secured to said blade holder to reciprocate therewith and disposed over the blade at each end thereof and extending forwardly over and in contact with the peripheral surface of the cylinder and extending beyond the cylinder ends.

7. In a rotary intaglio printing machine, a reciprocable doctor blade holder, a doctor blade carried by said holder to reciprocate longitudinally along and in contact with the peripheral surface or a printing cylinder, and a strip of flexible material secured to said blade holder to reciprocate therewith and disposed over and in contact with the blade at each end thereof, said strip of material extending in contact with the cylinder beyond the cylindercontacting edge of the blade.

8. In a rotary intaglio printing machine, a doctor blade holder mounted for reciprocable movement longitudinally of a printing cylinder, a doctor blade carried by said holder to reciprocate therewith in contact with the peripheral surface of the cylinder, a flange extending longitudinally over each end of the cylinder and terminating at a point spaced from the cylinder contacting edge of the blade, and a flexible ink guard secured to said blade holder at each end of the blade to reciprocate therewith, said guard extending longitudinally over the adjacent cylinder end and from the cylinder contacting edge of the blade to the terminating point of the adjacent flange in contact with the peripheral surface of the cylinder.

ALBERT J. HORTON. 

